Improvement in seed-sowers



uigd tant @met (Liftid.

r. H; MANNY, or ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

' Y d ALetters Patent No. 87,576, dated March 9, 1869. l

iMPRovEMENT IN snnnsownns.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

ew-v v To all whom 'it may concern: I

. Be it known that I, F. H. MANNY, of Rockford, in the county .of Winnebago, and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seed-Sow ers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description-of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

u This invention relates to lan improved seeder; and

It consists mainly in certain details of construction, first, for throwing the seed-delivering apparatus in and out of gear; second, for regulating the amount of seed delivered bythe cups; third, for operating agrassseed attachment; and fourth, for improving the operation Figure 6, a plan view of one of thedrag-bars in-,

verted; and

Figures 7, 8, and 9, are detached views of the cap d.

1 To enable others skilled in the art Vto which myinvention appertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe fully its construction and operation.

A'represents the seeder-frame, consisting of the longitudinal end-pieces Al A1, apd transverse beams A l A. A3 A.

This frame is supported upon the wheels A5 A5, the

short axes of which turn in bearings a, a a al, beneath.

the fiame, as showy Upon the frame A and the vbeams Az A2, is located' the seed-hopper B.

This hopper is provided with triangular openings b b, in its bottom, through which the seed is delivered to the cups.

These openings are provided with slides b, by means of which they may be securely` closed, when desired.

A The hopper has also the incl'nes b2 b2, as shown, by means of which the seed is conducted to the openings.

Through the hopper,'near its bottom, passes the transverse rock-shaft B, which is provided with agitators b3 b3, as shown.

'Ihisshaft receives motion, by means of various connections, from the' geai'wheel C, fixed upon the axle of one ofthe wheels A5.

This wheel C gears into the wheel C, which has upon the outer end of its shaft (whichhas bearings in the frame, as shown,) a wheel, C2, to which is eccentrically attached one end of the rod c, the other of which is attached to the bell-crank c'.

Extending from this bell-crank is a connecting-rod, which gives motion to the rock-shaft B'. Beneath the hopper-bottom, and between the beams A2, .is located the seed-deliverin g apparatus.

D represents a transverse shaft, upon which, at

suitable intervals, are located the seed-cylinders E. These cylinders are composed of two parts, e e, one of which consists of a hollow cap, having the slots e2, and flange e", as shown, and the other, of a cylinder provided with ribs e, which fit snugly into the slots of the cap e.

The cap c is made in thickness to correspond with the depressions between the ribs ofthe part el.

By pushing the two parts together, the depressions in the part c are lled by the projecting edges of the part e, and no opening appears in the cylinder-formed by their union. .By separating the parts more or less, f

cells areformed, as shown.

The parts el of all the cylinders are rigidly secured to the shaft D.

The parts e are secured, by their anges e, to the caps d, the former revolving freely in grooves in the latter, as shown. A

These caps d have triangular openings, and are provided with grooves upon the under sides, as shown,

AE2, as shown.

To give the shaft D the movement necessary to vary the opening in the cylinders, for sowing more or less seed, I provide the lever F, which is located upon the beam A2, in rear of the shaft D.

This lever I construct with' the ngers f f upon its forward end, which rest'in the groove g of the sleeve G, in such manner as not to interfere with the revolution of the shaft.

`The rear end of the lever is provided with the projecting catch f1, which rests upon the rack-bar H.

This rack-bar may be numbered, to indicate the amount of grain delivered, when the lever is fixed in any given position.

' The shaft D is provided' with a gear-wheel, D1, which receives motion from the idle-'wheel D2, operated by the wheel D3 from the axle of one of the wheels A.

In order that the seedingapparatus may operate The short arm of this lever is provided with fingers,

which rest in a groove in the sleeve I.

The long arm of the lever moves in the guide J,

which is provided with a stop, 7', for the purpose of holding the lever down `when it is desired to disconnect the seeding-apparatus.

`In order to insure the perfect operation of the clutch, I provide the bar K, upon which the long arm of the lever rests, as shown.`

This bar rests upon a spring of any suitable material and construction, which is placed in the socket K.

The clutch I is so arranged, in connection with the gear-wheel D3, that no motion can be communicated to the seeding-apparatus when the machine is moving backward. The teeth of the clutch slip by the teeth of the wheel without'commnnicating motion.

L represents a hopper, placed upon the rst beam A3, which is intended for the purpose of saving grassseed. The hopper-bottom is provided with suitable openings, through which the seed is delivered. It is also provided with a slide, for shutting off the delivery, when desired.

To insure the perfect sowing of the seed, I provide the agitating-bar L', which has upon its lower side a number of tine notches or cuts, at regular intervals, by means of which the seedisi'orced toward and into the openings in the hopper.

This har has' a sliding movement from side to side, and is operated by a rod, l, which connects with the hellfcranli c, as shown. V

MM represent the drag-bars, which are constructed and operated in the usual manner. l

The teeth, however, are attached to the drag-hars in a peculiar manner. in slots in the drag-bars, in such manner as to have a limited movement forward and back.

Upon theunder side of the drag-bars are placed slotted irons N, which are secured in place by screws, as shown.

These irons are so adj usted upon the bar, that the. shank of the tooth O bears against the cross-piece m, when in proper position for working.

The arrangement of the iron permits the tooth to swing forward when the machine is moved backward, which operation relieves the team from straiuin g when turning.

In case of a tooth striking an obstruction, the slotted `and is uniformly delivered overthe ground.

Their upper ends are pivot/ed i l iron4 yields, the shank of the tooth pressing against the cross-piece n, and permitting the tooth to slip back over the obstruction. When passed, the tooth may be placed back in position, and the iron be adjusted, by loosening the holding-screws.

The operation of my improved seedel is as follows:

The hopper having been properly filled, the machine is driven to the field, the seedin g-apparatus being of course disconnected, so as to be inoperative. When ready to operate, the lever 'i is detached from the catch in the) guide J, by which means the clutch I is caused to en gage with the gear-wheel D3, and thus vcommunicate motion to the seeding-apparatus. If grass-seed is to be planted at the saine time, the slide in its hopper must also be adjusted. rlhe teaninow moves over the field. The seed in the hopper is thoroughly stirred by the agtators, so that no clogging can possibly take place. It is regularly delivered to the cylinders, in proper quantities, and is by them delivered to the sponts, passing through which, itfalls upon the scatterers, The grass-seed is at the `saine time planted by the operation ofthe devices in the hopper.

In case a tooth strikes a serious obstruction, the ironwhich holds it in place, slides back upon the dragbar, and permits it to slip over the obstruction, after which it may easily be adjusted in place again.

r By the general construction herein described, an extremely efficient and desirable machine is produced.

Having thus fully described my invention, `Whatl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Paent, is,-

1.' The lever i, guide J with stop j, springfbarK with socket K', and clutch I, when combined and arranged as described, for the purposeset forth.

2. The slotted iron N with cross-piece n, when used in connection with cultivator-tooth and drag-bar, substantially' as described, for the purpose set forth.

This specification-signed and witnessed, this 26th day of December, 1868.

F. H. MANNY.

Witnesses: Y

Taos. J. L. REMINGTON, G. W. FORD. 

